🇵🇹 Portugal’s Startup Visa Secret (Not Just for Rich Investors)

Portugal appears to be winning the “who gets to attract the most startups and investors” competition in Europe.

I recently spoke with friends who run VC funds and accelerators in Lisbon, and they shared the stories on how Portugal’s start-up scene has seen a massive post-pandemic influx of founders and investors. Kind of what happened in Miami, Austin or even San Juan, but in Europe, minus the chaos. 🇵🇹

Portugal has been smart: they adapted fast to spotlight innovation over real estate, making room for founders, not just wealthy investors.

The Golden Visa: Big Fee, High Reward

Portugal still offers the famous Golden Visa, a residency-by-investment route that's a bit like a very expensive members’ club. The ticket costs €250K–€500K, and you don’t mind spending only 7 days a year in Europe

You get:

• EU residency + Schengen access

• Family included

• Path to citizenship in ~5 years

• Insane tax incentives

👉 But—this one’s for founders who have already raised capital or have personal capital to invest.

Startup Routes That Won’t Ask for Your Life Savings

For those earlier-stage founders, Portugal still has many better fits:

1. Startup Co‑Investor Visa (€150K)
   You invest in a Portuguese startup—get residency faster, plus equity in the startup you are investing in. No €500K needed.

2. D2 Entrepreneur Visa (no fixed minimum)
   Show up with a real plan to build or expand in Portugal, spend about 4 months the first year, and you’re in. Ideal for realistic explorers and lean startups

How Founders in Lisbon Are Doing It

Take Unicorn Factory (Former Startup Lisboa): it feels like a hive of co-working, mentorship, and startup energy all in central Lisbon.

Beta-i is also one of the favorite programs there, specifically if you are targetting corporate innovation.

Finally, Startup Portugal also provides tons of information about the ecosystem. Highlighting events like WebSummit (but that is for another newsletter)

Lisbon’s ecosystem has over 120 players now, from incubators to coworking spaces, funds, and unicorn support hubs.

TL;DR

• Golden Visa: high barrier, huge upside—great if you’ve got capital and want fast EU entry.

• Co‑Investor (€150K): founder-friendly, equity + residency.

• D2 Visa: no big spend, just honest planning to build in Portugal.

👀 Next week! A $1 million opportunity will be in your inbox. Stay toned and share with friends (you really like)